April 2024

Do you have Dutch ancestry? On this day in 1909, Juliana of the Netherlands  was born. She reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Image: Juliana of the Netherlands / Nationaal Archief Born in the Hague, Juliana was the only child of Dutch monarch Queen Wihelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Juliana was the first Dutch royal baby to be born since her mother’s birth in 1880. Her mother had suffered two miscarriages and… Read the full story

Today we celebrate Jazz legend Duke Ellington, who was born on this day 125 years ago. Image: Duke Ellington / Library of Congress He was born Edward Kennedy Ellington on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. to James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy, both pianists. With musically talented parents, Ellington was encouraged to pursue his interest in music. He began studying the piano at the age of 7 and acquired the nickname “Duke” for his suave and classy demeanor…. Read the full story

Happy birthday to Carol Burnett! Today the beloved comedic actress celebrates her 91st birthday. Image: Carol Burnett / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Born on April 26, 1933 in San Antonio, Texas, Burnett caught the acting bug at a young age. After her parents divorced in the late 1930s, she was sent to live with her grandmother in a boarding house in Hollywood, California. In the second grade, she briefly invented an imaginary twin sister named Karen and… Read the full story

On this day in 1917, American Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Virginia. One of the most beloved Jazz vocalist of all time, Fitzgerald had an extraordinary vocal range spanning three octaves. Image: Ella Fitzgerald / Library of Congress Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 to William Fitzgerald and Temperance Fitzgerald. From a young age, she was passionate about dancing and singing and spent hours listening to Jazz records her mother brought home. She… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Kelly Clarkson! Today the singer turns 42. Image: Kelly Clarkson / NPS, Marcey Frutchey, Wikimedia Commons Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982 in Fort Worth, Texas to Jeanne Ann Rose, a teacher, and Stephen Michael Clarkson, a former engineer. The youngest of three children, Clarkson’s parents divorced when she was 6. Her third great grandfather, Isaiah R. Rose, served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. During the war, he was captured and… Read the full story

On April 23, 1928, star Shirley Temple was born. Image: Shirley Temple / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0 Temple was born in Santa Monica, California to Gertrude Temple, a homemaker, and George Temple, a banker. She began taking dancing lessons at the age of 3 and was soon spotted by a casting director for Baby Burlesks, a series of comedy shorts satirizing recent films with preschool-aged children starring in every role. She soon was… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Jack Nicholson! Today the actor turns 87. Image: Jack Nicholson / Georges Biard, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Nicholson was born on April 22, 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey. For the first 37 years of his life, Nicholson believed his parents were John Nicholson and Ethel Rhoads. In 1974, a Times reporter researching a cover story on Nicholson discovered that the person Nicholson believed to be his older sister June was in… Read the full story

On this day in 1882, Charles Darwin died at his home, the Down House, in Kent at the age of 73. Considered to be one of the most influential scientific minds in history, Darwin’s work transformed the world’s understanding of nature. Image: Charles Darwin / Library of Congress Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in his family home, The Mount, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. The fifth of six children, Darwin came from a line… Read the full story

On this day in 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes set out on horseback to warn the American colonies of approaching British troops. Revere’s role in the famous ride would later be immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Image: Paul Revere’s ride / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Late in the night on April 18, British troops began marching towards Lexington and Concord to capture Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Taking separate… Read the full story

Do you enjoy baseball? On this day in 1820, Alexander Cartwright, the “Father of Modern Baseball,” was born in New York City, New York.  Image: Alexander Cartwright / Hawaii State Archives, Wikimedia Commons Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. was the son of Alexander Cartwright, Sr., a merchant sea captain, and Esther Rebecca Burlock. A volunteer firefighter, Cartwright often played bat-and-ball games with other volunteers. He founded the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in New York and is often credited with… Read the full story

Silent film star Charlie Chaplin was born on April 16, 1889 in London, England. Image: Charlie Chaplin / Library of Congress In a true rags-to-riches story, Chaplin grew up in poverty and became one of the most successful actors in the industry. He endured several hardships early in his life. His father abandoned the family when he was very young, while his mother suffered from a mental illness that kept her in-and-out of the asylum…. Read the full story

April 15 marks the anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Every year the public’s imagination is captured by the infamous ship along with its harrowing stories of survival and loss. Amongst one of the crew was stewardess Violet Jessop, who would experience more than one maritime disaster in her lifetime. She remarkably survived not only the sinking of the Titanic, but also a second disaster at sea on the HMHS Britannic only a… Read the full story

On this day in 1452, Renaissance Man Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci in the Republic of Florence. Image: Leonardo da Vinci / Library of Congress A gifted and extremely talented individual, da Vinci’s genius ranged from science, arts, mathematics, engineering, astronomy, architecture, and much more. Some of his greatest artistic masterpieces include the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and the Vitruvian Man. A brilliant inventor and engineer, da Vinci designed and illustrated concepts… Read the full story

On this day in 1577, Christian IV of Denmark was born.  Image: Christian IV of Denmark / Wikimedia Commons Christian IV was born on April 12, 1577 at Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark to King Frederick II and Sofie of Mecklenburg. He was the third child but eldest son of the couple. Since Denmark was still an elective monarchy at the time, Christian was not automatically heir to the throne. However, when he was 3, his father had… Read the full story

On this day in 1689, William III and Mary II were crowned as joint sovereigns of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The couple reigned together until Mary’s death in 1694 at the age of 32.

On this day in 1847, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer was born. Today he best known for establishing the prestigious Pulitzer Prize, which is awarded annually for excellence in American journalism. Image: Joseph Pulitzer / Library of Congress Pulitzer was born on April 10, 1847 in Makó, Hungary to a well-regarded merchant family. Growing up in Budapest, Pulitzer was educated by private tutors. In 1864, he emigrated to the United States as a recruit for the Union Army… Read the full story

On this day in 1413, Henry V was crowned King of England. The second English monarch of the House of Lancaster, Henry V was considered to be one of the great warrior kings in English history.  Image: The British Library, Flickr Henry V was the eldest son of Henry IV of England and Mary de Bohun and the great grandson of Edward III of England. In 1398, his father was exiled and Henry was taken under the… Read the full story

Today we remember former First Lady Betty Ford on what would have been her 106th birthday. Image: Betty Ford / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Ford was born Elizabeth Ann Bloomer on April 8, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. She was the third child and only daughter of William Stephenson Bloomer, Sr., a traveling salesman, and Hortense Neahr. While in school, Ford studied to become a dancer. In 1948, she married Gerald Ford, who was campaigning for… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bette Davis! The legendary actress was born 116 years ago today. Image: Bette Davis / Wikimedia Commons Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born on April 5, 1908 in Lowell, Massachusetts. With dreams of becoming a performer, Davis moved to New York City to study acting. Did you know future star Lucille Ball was one of her classmates in drama school? She began her career in theater before landing her first role in the film Bad Sister…. Read the full story

On this day in 1802, American activist and social reformer Dorothea Dix was born. Image: Dorothea Dix / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 Dix was born in Hampden, Maine to Joseph Dix and Mary Bigelow. At the age of 12, Dix moved to Boston to stay with her wealthy grandmother, Dorothea Lynde, who encouraged her interest in education. Dix eventually began to teach and in 1821, opened a school in Boston. However, frequent bouts… Read the full story

Today marks what would have been actor Marlon Brando’s 100th birthday. Born on April 3, 1924, Brando is often considered one of the most famous and influential actors of the 20th century. Image: Marlon Brando / Library of Congress Brando was born in Omaha, Nebraska to Marlon Brando, Sr., a pesticide and chemical feed manufacturer, and Dorothy Pennebaker, an actress and theater administrator. After he was expelled from military school, Brando worked as a ditch-digger…. Read the full story

What was your favorite fairy tale growing up? Today we celebrate the 219th birthday of fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen! Known for writing some of the world’s most popular fairy tales, Andersen’s stories have been translated into more than 125 languages and have been adapted into numerous films, plays, and ballets. Image: Hans Christian Andersen / Library of Congress Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark on April 2, 1805. He was the only child of Hans Andersen, Sr. and… Read the full story

On this day in 1883, stage and silent film actor Lon Chaney was born. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for each role, Chaney was dubbed “The Man of a Thousand Faces.” Image: Lon Chaney / Wikimedia Commons Chaney was born Leonidas Frank Chaney on April 1, 1883 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both of his parents, Frank H. Chaney and Emma Alice Kennedy, were deaf and as a result, Chaney was skilled at communicating… Read the full story